Program Specialist

Program Specialist III, SR-20Salary Range: All new external applicants will be placed on the initial step of the salary range. However, placement above the initial step of the salary range will be based on special characteristics and critical needs of the position, an applicant's exceptional qualifications, the availability of funds, and other relevant factors. Such appointments require prior approval. Hawaii State Department of Education employees will be placed on the salary range in accordance with Department regulations. Program Specialist III, SR-20: $5,107.00 - $6,221.00 per monthExamples of DutiesAssists a higher level specialist in conducting segments of major studies or special projects;Conducts analyses of programs, their operations and activities and makes recommendations of findings to a higher level specialist or program supervisor;Conducts research into changes in State and federal laws, rules and regulations, community concerns, etc.;Interprets and explains new or existing program policies and procedures, rules and regulations, program standards, etc.;Provides information to, and communicates with various committees, other agencies and community groups and organizations concerned with the agency's program;Assists in the development of contracts and grants;Monitors and evaluates program operations and activities to insure program objectives meet State and federal requirements;Develops and implements corrective action plans to address program deficiencies;Develops training programs to implement new or revised program policies, procedures, activities, functions, etc.;Assists a higher level specialist in the preparation of the agency's State plan;Participates in developing legislative proposals and testimonies;May speak before groups to promote or provide information or coordinate program activities and objectives;Assists in the development of budget requests;Provides technical assistance, consultation and interpretation of the program rules and procedures to agency staff, other public, private and community agencies;Develops, recommends and coordinates implementation plans for specific program areas; andAdvises and explains program requirements to data processing personnel.Minimum QualificationsBasic Education Requirement: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a Bachelor's degree.Excess work experience as described under the Specialized Experience below or any other responsible administrative, professional or analytical work experience which provided knowledge, skills and abilities comparable to those acquired in four years of successful study while completing a college or university curriculum leading to a baccalaureate degree may be substituted on a year-for-year basis. To be acceptable, the experience must have been of such scope, level and quality as to assure the possession of comparable knowledge, skills and abilities.The education or experience background must also demonstrate the ability to write clear and comprehensive reports and other documents; read and interpret complex written material; and solve complex problems logically and systematically.Experience Requirements: Except for the substitutions provided for in this specification, applicants must have had progressively responsible experience of the kind and quality described in the statements below and in the amounts shown in the following table or any equivalent combination of training and experience:Class Title - Specialized Experience(Years) - Supervisory Experience(Years) - TotalExperience(Years)Program Specialist III - 1-1/2 - 0 - 1-1/2Specialized Experience: Progressively responsible professional experience in one or a combination of the following:Progressively responsible professional experience which demonstrated the ability to conduct studies and analyses of programs or projects through active participation in the planning, coordination, development and/or evaluation of programs and/or program activities. The experience must have involved performing professional work concerned with program interrelationships, effectiveness or intra-program integration. It must further have demonstrated a high degree of analytical skill involving the ability to identify information needs, collect and analyze data, and identify problems and alternative solutions and their advantages and disadvantages and develop logical recommendations for a course of action and the ability to read, comprehend and interpret complex material such as State statutes and/or federal regulations and draft comprehensive reports of findings and conclusions.Progressively responsible professional work experience in a pertinent field/program area which provided knowledge of principles and practices, current issues and concerns of the identified field/program area and State and federal agencies, community organizations and agencies, resources and services that interact with and have an impact on the agency's programs and activities.Substitutions Allowed: Possession of a Master's degree from an accredited college or university in business administration, public administration or a field pertinent to the agency's programs and activities may be substituted for one year of the Specialized Experience (Type 1).Quality of Experience: Possession of the required number of years of experience will not in itself be accepted as proof of qualification for a position. The applicant's overall experience must have been of such scope and level of responsibility as to conclusively demonstrate that applicant has the ability to perform the duties of the position for which applicant is being considered.Supplemental InformationThe advertised salary is based on full-time employment and includes shortage and school year differentials, if applicable. Applicants must meet all the requirements for the position they are seeking as of the date of the application, unless otherwise specified. Unless specifically indicated, the required education and experience may not be gained concurrently. Calculation of experience is based on full-time, 40-hour workweeks. Part-time experience is pro-rated. Example: Twelve months of experience at 20 hours/week is equivalent to six months of experience, not one year. Also, hours worked in excess of 40 hours/week will not be credited. Example: Twelve months of experience at 60 hours/week is equivalent to one year of experience, not one and a half years.Claims of Temporary Assignment (TA) experience to meet the minimum qualification requirements must be verified and attached to the application using one of the options below:A copy of the applicant's TA History Report or equivalent system-generated report;A signed letter from the applicant's supervisor that includes the applicant's name, his/her TA job title, the TA start and end dates (from mm/yy to mm/yy), his/her specific TA duties performed, and either the TA hours worked per week or total TA hours worked; or,Copies of the applicant's signed SF-10 Forms.Documents: Attach all relevant supporting documents to your application. Documents that were attached to applications submitted before November 16, 2023 do not automatically attach or transfer to applications submitted on and after December 16, 2023. All submitted documents become the property of the Hawaii State Department of Education.Information about Temporary Positions: Temporary positions may be extended year to year, dependent upon funding and departmental needs. Making yourself available for temporary positions increases your employment possibilities and may lead to permanent opportunities. A person hired for a temporary position may also become a temporary employee upon satisfactory completion of the initial probation period of at least six months. Once a temporary employee, you would be eligible to apply for promotion and transfer opportunities to permanent as well as other temporary positions. You may also enjoy other rights and benefits as afforded to an employee in a permanent position, with the exception of return rights and placement rights associated with a reduction-in-force.Equal OpportunityThe Hawaii State Department of Education does not discriminate in its educational policies, programs, and activities on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, and disability in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991. The Department does not discriminate in its employment policies, programs, and activities on the basis of sexual orientation, arrest and court record, and National Guard participation, as well as on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, and disability, in accordance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991, Equal Pay Act of 1963, and Chapter 378, Part I, Hawaii Revised Statutes.Payday: New employees can expect their first paycheck within the first 3 pay periods of their start date. Payday is on the 5th and 20th (or previous business day) of every month.Benefits12-month civil service and SSP employees enjoy a range of competitive benefits:Holidays: You may be eligible for